How do you make photopolymer plates at home?
How do you make photopolymer plates at home?
- Step 1: Prepare the 60 Watt lamp.
- Step 2: Assemble liquid photopolymer packet and.
- Step 3: Two minute hardening.
- Step 4: 10 minute hardening.
- Step 5: Cut around the liquid photopolymer packet.
- Step 6: Wash all the liquid gel from the.
- Step 7: Final hardening process.
- Step 8: Dry your photopolymer plate and attach it.
How are plates made for letterpress?
The printing plates are made by first turning the graphics into a litho film using a film processor. Then the litho film photography is put over the plates and put into the platemaker machine where they are covered with a vacuum sheet.
What is letterpress plate?
Ok, So What’s a Photopolymer Plate? Simply put, a photopolymer plate is a sheet of polymer with one side that is light sensitive. The digitally created design is transferred to a photo negative that is placed on top of the sheet of polymer. It is then exposed to light in a controlled exposing unit.
How do you expose a photopolymer?
Platemaking by hand is a straightforward process. Photopolymer plates have a light-sensitive surface on either plastic backing or metal backing. A film negative is placed over the plate surface, secured with Kreene or a glass covering, and exposed to ultraviolet light.
What are flexographic plates made of?
Originally, flexo plates were made from rubber, but are today made from photopolymer material in sheet form – which differentiates them from the fixed metallic printing plates of offset printing. The plates are flexible enough to be wrapped around cylindrical print/plate rollers.
What is a photopolymer stamp?
Photopolymer stamps are made to transfer ink so the ink sticks to the stamp extremely well, giving you a crisper, cleaner image. They are heavier and less stretchy than acrylic and more “clear & shiny” than acrylic. Photopolymer stamps are usually made in the US.
How much does a letterpress machine cost?
L Letterpress ($75 – $100) – highly recommended. Die Cutting / Embossing Machine that is the platform used for the L Letterpress kit. The Evolution Machine (from We Are Memory Keepers). Prices range from $70 – $150.
What is a photopolymer plate?
Photopolymer is photosensitive material in sheet form that is exposed to UV lights through a negative film. The light shines through the clear sections of the film and hardens the polymer. The plate is washed out with water. The exposed areas are left to form the relief and the unexposed is washed away.
What causes the ink to be raised in thermographic?
Thermography is a specialized process that combines offset printing ink with a powdered resin which is baked so that the resin rises to give the ink a raised, textured effect.
How is a photopolymer plate made with a film negative?
Photopolymer plates have a light-sensitive surface on either plastic backing or metal backing. A film negative is placed over the plate surface, secured with Kreene or a glass covering, and exposed to ultraviolet light.
Why are custom letterpress plates by letterpress ink?
We understand making custom letterpress polymer plates can be an expensive, and confusing process. At Letterpress Ink, we are trying to help printers bring their creative side out affordably. This is why are are now offering custom letterpress polymer plates, and our goal is to make the process as easy as possible.
What do you need to wash a photopolymer plate?
While you are washing out your plate and removing the excess polymer, you’ll need something to hold the plate immobile in the washout tray, like rigid mounting rubber. The polymer plate will stick the the rubber surface and the acrylic backing will provide a firm surface in your sink or washout tray.
What’s the best way to make a letterpress?
Take the printing board out, take the packing off, and carefully flip the paper off the printing plate so you don’t smudge the ink, et voila! Set the print aside to dry, for at least one hour, or longer if you used ink extender.